Did you know that more than half of the Vultures in the Himalayas has declined in the last decade by over 99%? That from every 100 Vultures there is only 1 left. I didn’t know either. And do you know the reason? It is caused by a medicine called Diclofenac, very useful for humans but very deadly to Vultures. A lot of Animals get this medicine as well and if they die, that Diclofenac is eaten by Vultures and they die from it… No, I did not know either.

But I did know that the himalayas are one of the most valuable places for those magnificent birds. A big Vulture they also call a flying door. The size is the same…. For me it is one of the most impressive birds there is.

During a trip in March 1014 I visited a Vulture Safe Zone or Vulture restaurant in Ghachowk close to Pokhara, Nepal. It is so simple but so effective and amazing what they do there. Bird Conservation Nepal is buying ‘retired’ cows from the people in the villages and they give them a space where they can spend their last days/years. And they make sure that those animals are not using any medicines which are bad for Vultures. There are harmless alternatives for Diclofenac.

When those animals expire, they just leave them as in early days. Vultures knows the spot and they can have their proper and healthy meal in a protected area. The amazing thing is that 8 of the 9 different kind of vultures in Nepal come to this spot.

My pictures you can find in my Gallery : Ghachowk, Vulture safe zone in Nepal